Last week we invited Simon Davies of The Teapot Factory – CIC, to join our Planning & Infrastructure forum.

Simon is a successful local entrepreneur, and won The King’s Award for Enterprise in the category of Innovation, during 2023.

He left us in no doubt that one of his big passions is to use our local heritage to drive future regeneration.

I had previously joined a group of local businesses on a Teapot Tour. We walked from our office in Festival Park, along the Trent and Mersey Canal towpath, ending up in Middleport an hour or so later. All along the route, we paused at different points, to receive an update on some of the key heritage sites which sit alongside the canal. Look closer and you may be able to spot badgers, foxes and muntjac deer, who all call Etruria Valley home.

When Simon joined us last week, he spoke of his vision to tap into the potential of using our heritage to kick start local regeneration. He referred to a number of stunning structures along the Trent and Mersey Canal, such as Middleport Mill and the nearby Grade II listed, Calcining Works.

Simon spoke of a “a Stoke-on-Trent grassroots creative eco-system” slowly starting to develop, with a growth in music nights and more creative industries moving to the area. Take a look at how the Digbeth area of Birmingham has been transformed from a run down and derelict part of the inner city, into a thriving hub of creative businesses, with graphic designers and web designers lining up to move there.

The re-purposing of post-industrial land into multi-use arts and cultural space, can hopefully nurture and retain cultural talent, raising the profile of Middleport canal front and potentially attract investment. Many of these fine heritage buildings have been empty for years. Reversing a post-industrial decline can only move forward by bringing together business, creatives and resident local communities of North Staffordshire.

The Trent and Mersey Canal is a traffic free greenway for both walkers and cyclists, carving its way through Stoke-on-Trent. Imagine the scene a few years now…walking through Etruria and Middleport. QR codes on signpost markers or the use of augmented reality (AR) could bring our surroundings and the past to life, with images of Shelton Bar and our industrial history.

End up in Middleport for some street food or a locally brewed craft beer, whilst admiring our heritage and listening to drum and base from a nearby music studio. Head for nearby Longport Station (or hopefully Etruria Valley Station), to make your return journey home.

Simon’s community interest company, The Teapot Factory CIC, will take on key projects breathing new life into industrial heritage sites, with further details to be announced in due course. We all agreed that regeneration can be ignited by “small wins” led by groups such as Simon.

If you would like to join the discussion on planning and infrastructure, why not join our next Planning & Infrastructure forum in July or drop me a line: declan.riddell@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

Every three months, all Chambers of Commerce across the UK ask businesses in their respective areas to complete a Quarterly Economic Survey, or QES.

QES is the UK’s longest-running independent business survey and is widely acknowledged by the likes of The Bank of England as being a very useful barometer of business confidence and economic performance. 

Results from QES Q1, 2024  have just been published and these are the headlines from QES:

• Manufacturing – 15%; Services – 85%.
• 21% of respondents are exporters.
• 89% of respondents are small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) businesses.
• QES fieldwork took place between Monday 12^th February 2024 and Friday 8^th March 2024.

Domestic sales

Overall, 42% of Staffordshire respondents reported an increase to domestic sales in the last three months, while 11% reported a decrease.   At a national level, 36% of respondents reported an increase to domestic sales in the last three months, while 22% reported a decrease.

Investment

Overall, 11% of Staffordshire respondents reported an increase to plant/equipment investment in the past three months, while 82% reported no change, and 7% reported a decrease.  At a national level, 24% of respondents reported an increase to plant/equipment investment in the last three months, while 16% reported a decrease.

Prices

The percentage of Staffordshire firms expecting their prices to rise stands at 31%, compared to a national response of 46%.  This has halted a downward trend, seen since Q2, 2022.

External factors

Energy prices are the top external factor of concern for the majority of respondents (26%), along with changes to National Living Wage (19%).

Headline trends across national QES results from Q1, 2024:

• No overall improvement in business conditions in Q1 2024 as measured by investment, sales and cashflow. 

• Levels of business confidence remain unchanged, with 56% of UK businesses expecting an increase in turnover in the next twelve months. 

• Almost half of firms are expecting the price of their goods or services to rise. 

• Interest rates continue to slowly decline as a concern for businesses.  

• Hospitality sector continues to struggle disproportionately, with 39% of these firms reporting a decrease in their cash flow, compared with 28% of respondents overall. 

We’ve had some mixed business news this week….. 

Inflation rate fell to 3.2% in March 2024 but national QES results (above), indicate that almost half of firms expect their prices to rise over the next three months. Labour costs are seen as the main driver but increasing political and global uncertainty is becoming a key factor.  Businesses are waiting to see how this data translates into changes on interest rate policy.

The number of job vacancies continues to fall, and with unemployment on the rise, there are further signs that the labour market is cooling.  Too many firms are still struggling to find the people and skills they need to fill job vacancies.

Our next QES will run from Monday 13^th May to Friday 8^th June and I’ll be sharing the survey link in my blog of Monday 13^th May.  Please take the 60 seconds needed to complete a QES and tell us about your levels of business confidence.

I was fortunate enough to join one of the first “Teapot Tours” organised by Simon Davies, MD of Protectapet, which have now boomed in popularity as Simon continues his mission to share his passion for the Potteries through the means of a heritage walk.

When I joined Simon for the tour last year, we started at Commerce House office and walked toward the towpath of the Trent & Mersey Canal.  It marked the start of a walk from Etruria to Middleport.  Every so often, we would pause for a short stop off at various heritage landmarks. 

The Trent & Mersey Canal was engineered by James Brindley and opened in 1777.  At the time, it was the country’s very first long-distance canal.  The towpath creates a green corridor for both walkers and cyclists and acts as the lungs of our city.

Our walk took in the Etruria Industrial Museum, which is the only surviving section of Josiah Wedgwood’s original factory (the Roundhouse close to the canal), atmospheric potbank wharves and the site of the former Shelton Bar steel works and much more. We headed north and in no time found ourselves admiring the stunning Middleport Pottery potbank.   The Grade II listed pottery stands proud after 130 years and remains home to the famous Burleigh pottery.

We finished off our tour with refreshments at Middleport Matters and listened to local poet, Nick Degg, who wrote the poem, ‘I come from a town’.   In the space of a few hours, I started to get a sense of just how much heritage there is in our local area.  Just take a look around!

Simon continues to share his passion and has since guided businesses on a Teapot Boat Ride, through the 1.6 mile long Harecastle Tunnel. 

I’m delighted to confirm that Simon will be the guest speaker at our next Planning & Infrastructure forum meeting.  Simon will discuss the need for more entrepreneurial and private sector driven regeneration initiatives in our area.

If you have an interest in heritage or would like to hear more about how this can drive regeneration of our county, join our next Planning & Infrastructure forum meeting on Tuesday 23^rd April, to find out more.

Our Planning & Infrastructure forum is one of eleven Chamber policy forums.  This particular forum is tasked with exchanging information on planning policy, construction and regeneration.  The forum is open to any Chamber member business and places can be booked through the link:

Planning & Infrastructure Forum – Staffordshire Chambers

Manifesto

I’m in the final stages of updating our Chamber Business Manifesto.  We know that a General Election has to take place before the end of January 2025 and that’s why we need to have a Manifesto in place, which will provide a summary of the key issues facing our local businesses.   Watch this space for further details!!!

The start of April, a new financial year and the chance to review our role as ‘the voice of business’ in Staffordshire. 

It’s been a hectic start to 2024 but here’s a flavour of the policy and lobbying work we have developed since the beginning of January:

Political Meetings

We hosted a meeting with the Shadow Minister for Business & Trade (Jonathan Reynolds, MP), on Thursday 21st March.  Following on from an opening session with more than 50 businesses, we joined Mr Reynolds on a brief tour of Synectics Solutions, before returning to Vale Park for a round table discussion with Chamber Patrons.  Key topics of discussion included cutting export red tape, skills, the green economy, energy costs, land value capture and National Insurance and tax.

Other Activity

We wrote to Metro Mayors Andy Burnham (Greater Manchester Combined Authority) and Andy Street (West Midlands Combined Authority) regarding their proposals to improve rail connectivity between Manchester and the West Midlands.  On 27.3.24., I joined members of our Transport forum to discuss this in more detail with Transport for West Midlands.  A detailed publication on the proposals will be unveiled in May 2024.

On Wednesday 20^th March, we delivered the first of three Big Business Breakfast events, focusing on the theme of innovative skills solutions.  Guest speakers included James Timpson, OBE and Adam Whitehouse of TMT First.   Future events will look at the economy and planning/infrastructure.  Feedback from those who attended was extremely positive.

Our Digital forum is one of eleven Chamber Policy forums and is tasked with driving the growing digital sector in Staffordshire, enabling businesses to freely exchange information, share best practise and discuss exploiting digital, collaboration, skills and digital inclusion.

We have developed two working groups (Digital Divide Working Group (DDWG) and Digital Skills Working Group (DSWG)).  DSWG is looking at how to create a local view of a digital skills pathway, to enable learners (and where appropriate their families), to have signposting to technology specific learning opportunities and how these available courses can support a professional career development within the digital sector (and beyond).  

A brand-new community interest company (CIC) has now been formed, called ‘Re-boot IT for all.’  The CIC has been formed with the support of TMT First, based in Newcastle under Lyme and a provider of technology lifecycle services and innovative solutions for the circular economy.  The CIC will offer hardware repurposing, with securely wiped and clean items of hardware being offered to community groups or “trusted referrers”, who in turn can distribute to members of the community experiencing digital poverty. 

Campaigns

Clean Air Zone

Measures to improve air quality at “specific areas of exceedance” across North Staffordshire are required by Government.

• A Clean Air Zone (CAZ) – Category C will extend across a defined area of Stoke-on-Trent stretching from Fenton to Joiners Square and Hanley.  Buses, coaches, lorries and vans entering the CAZ which do not meet emissions standards will be forced to pay a charge.
• We are deeply concerned by the impact on businesses who may need to upgrade their fleets of vans and lorries, or who may be forced to pay the CAZ charge in order to receive deliveries from non-compliant lorries and vans.
• A bus gate will be introduced to limit westbound traffic at peak times of the working week, on the A53 (Etruria Road) from its junction with the A500.  Electric vehicles, buses and emergency service vehicles will be allowed to join Etruria Road, but all other vehicles will be forced to find another route.
• We are concerned that the issue of poor air quality will be displaced rather than be reduced.  We feel that the bus gate will lead to higher congestion on the approaches to the A500/A53 junction and will become an issue for staff recruitment and retention for businesses based along Etruria Road, as well as the wider area which extends to Festival Park and Hanley.

We were delighted by the recent announcement that Stoke-on-Trent City Council is developing a revised plan for the Clean Air Zone (CAZ), which will cut NO2 and which could see changes made to junctions to reduce congestion, as well as upgrading pedestrian and cycle routes.  This is welcome news for the business community   Whilst we recognise the need to improve air quality for our residents, the implementation of the CAZ would have a detrimental impact on local businesses. 

The news about a review of the CAZ proposal is welcome but we are still extremely concerned by the potential impact of a bus gate, which will prevent any non-compliant vehicles from driving in a westbound direction along Etruria Road (Basford Bank), at peak times of the working week and we call for a similar pragmatic approach to look again at the hugely negative impact of imposing a bus gate at Basford Bank.  We note that the local authorities (Stoke on Trent City Council, Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council) continue to develop the full business case for a solution to the NO2 pollution exceedance on Basford Bank.  All three local authorities involved in the project continue to express their concerns to Government about the impacts the peak period bus gate will have, for example on routes where traffic is diverted.  

Stoke-on-Trent City Council is planning to limit traffic access to Station Road at the front of Stoke on Trent Station, creating a new transport hub.  This will follow on the back of the launch of a new camera-controlled section on nearby College Road, with offending motorists who drive along this stretch, being fined.  We understand that this is scheme is due to progress and we’ll continue to monitor developments.

Etruria Valley Station

Etruria Valley Station was closed to passenger services in 2005. Jo Gideon MP submitted a bid to re-open this station, under the Restoring Your Railways Fund (RYRF).  The bid was rejected but we feel that a far better alternative would be to open a new station at Etruria Valley, approximately 1 mile north of the former Etruria Station and close to the site of the new Etruria Valley Link Road.

Back in November, we invited businesses to join us for a round table discussion and we have asked local businesses to make a financial commitment towards the cost of developing a business case.  This will cost an estimated £15,000.  We continue to seek support for the development of a business case.   In the early part of this year, we have held constructive meetings with both Stoke on Trent City Council and Staffordshire County Council. 

Letters & Consultation Responses

• We wrote to Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council to query business rates billing to a member business, who was unable to get a detailed response.  We have since received an update from Newcastle under Lyme Borough Council and this has been shared with the member business.
• We wrote to Staffordshire Moorlands District Council (SMDC) on behalf of a member business to query the guidelines on getting three quotes for a UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) grant application.   Our member also pointed out that innovation is not necessarily linked to job creation.  There could be efficiencies which could mean that staff can be utilised in other areas of the business.   Innovation can, of course, also bring about a reversal of jobs created/safeguarded.  This could be down to a new process or use of machinery.  SMDC called the member directly with a response but acknowledged the need to review guidelines.  The issue was also escalated to the British Chambers’ of Commerce (BCC) who in turn, have lobbied Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC).  Feedback from DLUHC has acknowledged the need for a strategic initiative to streamline and simplify funding, helping stakeholders navigate the local funding landscape.
• We wrote to Chancellor of the Exchequer on 28.2.24. to call for a number of business ‘asks’ in the Spring Budget.  We were pleased to see that our call to raise the registration threshold for VAT has been approved and this has risen from £85,000 to £90,000.  It really does help small business as the administrative burden often sits disproportionately heavily on them because they don’t have the financial and operational resources at their disposal to deal with the paperwork required. 
• We wrote to Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council, calling for a joined-up transport strategy for North Staffordshire, following on from the government announcement of £4 billion for transport improvements across the country.
• We submitted a response to the government’s consultation on strengthening policy on brownfield land development.
• Copies of all letters can be obtained from declan.riddell@staffordshirechambers.co.uk. 

Policy forums

Our eleven policy forums continue to underpin our policy and lobbying work.  Our forums are composed of Chamber member businesses from across a diverse range of business sectors.   We invite guest speakers to join our forums and deliver informative updates to the business community.  Our policy forums are a great way to keep updated and to join the conversations in shaping the work we do.  Updates from our policy forums in Q1…..

Coming up

We will be launching our new Staffordshire Chambers’ of Commerce Manifesto in the coming weeks.  With a General Election due to take place in the next nine months, now is a good time to update our Manifesto, ready to share with politicians of all parties.   The Manifesto will be based around a number of themes:

• Connected Staffordshire
• Digital Staffordshire
• Global Staffordshire
• Green Staffordshire
• Skilled Staffordshire

We will be outlining a number of pledges linked to these themes and we will also be calling on commitments from stakeholders and partners.  Watch this space for further details!

If you would like to join our policy forums or if you have any questions about our policy and lobbying work, feel free to get in touch:

declan.riddell@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

Last week was a hectic week at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce, with the delivery of more flagship events. 

During the course of the year, our Events team successfully co-ordinates a programme of more than 200 events.  Some of our events bring in truly inspirational guest speakers, others will keep our member businesses informed of local and national developments, whilst others are simply about networking and making those contacts.

On Tuesday, we hosted the ‘Unlocking opportunities for your business: An expert insight into the new Procurement Act’ event.   Guest speakers included Martyn Traynor, OBE (Small Business Crown Representative), who explained that there is a desire to make public sector procurement far simpler, which will help to encourage businesses of all sizes to come forward and bid for opportunities.  The annual amount spent by the government on goods and services, has now topped £60billion. 

The Procurement Bill received Royal Assent last year and The Cabinet Office has suggested a ‘go-live’ date of October 2024.  We learned that social value is becoming an increasingly important feature of public sector procurement.  Social value is all about being able to demonstrate wider benefit from the award of a government contract. Examples of social value could include creation of apprenticeship schemes for local people in order to deliver a contract, or investing in community groups to upskill local people as part of a technology bid. 

We also listened to Liz Barclay, of The Office of the Small Business Commissioner (OSBC), an independent public body set up by Government, to tackle late payment and unfavourable payment practices in the private sector.  We were astonished to find that 1/3 of payments to small businesses are late, with an average value of each payment reckoned to be worth £6,142.  Around 20% of small businesses have run into cash flow problems, so the devastating impact of late payments is clear to see. 

Liz said that she is keen to hear from more businesses who are facing difficulties in getting paid and her services are free to use, on a non-risk basis.

On Wednesday, I joined our first Big Business Breakfast of 2024, at the Bet365 Stadium.  This particular event was linked to the theme of ‘Innovative Skills Solutions’.   James Timpson OBE, of Timpson Group opened the event in front of a packed audience and shared some of the tactics he has used in finding, attracting and retaining the best talent for his business. 

James explained how he has recruited ex-offenders who have gone on to repay his faith in their ability by delivering exceptional performance.  He shared some of the ways in which he supports an empowers his staff on a day to day basis.  It was inspirational stuff and gave food for thought when it comes to staff recruitment.

Adam Whitehouse of TMT First shared the journey of how his business has grown in size, culminating in the recent launch of the very first Digital Device Repair Technician Apprenticeship, having spotted a gap in the skills market for tech repairs.  This will help to build a pipeline of talent, offering more apprenticeship and job opportunities for our school and college leavers.

Perry Smith of Hays discussed the upcoming launch of the 2024 Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Workforce Survey, which offers an insight into local salary levels, helping businesses to benchmark their own salary levels to support with the recruitment and retention of staff.  Watch this space for further updates.

Our Head of Business Services Tom Nadin, closed the event with an update on the delivery of the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP).  Staffordshire Chambers’ of Commerce has been appointed as designated employer representative body for the Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire LSIP.  Since the launch in October 2022, a high volume of activities and data gathering have taken place and good progress continues to take place, connecting businesses and training providers.

On Thursday, I joined a group of Chamber member businesses at Vale Park, when we welcomed Jonathan Reynolds MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade), in an event hosted by British Chambers’ of Commerce Director General, Shevaun Haviland.  Mr Reynolds announced some of the Labour Party’s ambitions for small businesses and he was quizzed by the audience on a diverse range of topics, including energy, taxation, exporting and land value capture. 

I joined Mr Reynolds on a visit to Synectics Solutions, whose premises are just a free kick from Vale Park.  Synectics has been harnessing data in order to deliver effective and innovative fraud prevention solutions.  The company is a great success story, having grown exponentially since it started life in 1992.  After completing a very impressive site tour, we headed back to Vale Park where Mr Reynolds held a round table meeting with our Patron members.

If you would like information on any of the above events, please get in touch:

declan.riddell@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

Last week, our Employment, Skills and HR forum received a very informative update on gender equality from Helen Bailey, Head of Learning and Development at Strategi Solutions.

Helen reviewed a summary of gender employment by sector.  The top three sectors of employment for women, are ‘Health and social work’, ‘Wholesale and retail’ and ‘Education’.

When it comes to higher paying occupations, a study from October 2022 to September 2023 indicated that there is still a majority of males in roles such as ‘Managers, directors and senior officials’ or ‘Professional occupations’, compared to their female counterparts.

Helen’s update also looked at reasons for economic inactivity.  When it comes to those looking after family or the home, this role is four times more likely to be filled by a woman than by a man.   

PWC recently published a Women in Work Index, which found that whilst women’s participation in labour markets is increasing, they continue to face pay disparities compared to men.  The gender pay gap widened between 2021 and 2022 in 20 of the 33 OECD countries. This includes the UK, which experienced the largest annual drop in the PWC Index of any OECD country, dropping four places from 13th to 17th place and with a gender pay gap estimated to be a whopping 14.5%.

Helen explained the many benefits of a gender balanced workforce.  Studies by CMI suggest that ccompanies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to experience above-average profitability and that organisations with greater gender diversity are 1.4 times more likely to have sustained, profitable growth.

It’s barely a week since International Women’s Day, which celebrates the achievement of women and raises awareness about discrimination.  It’s clear that more needs to be done if we are to narrow the gender gap.   What practical measures can your business adopt, in order to close the gender gap?

How about promoting greater women’s representation at board level and development of clear and transparent parental and health policies, along with a work life balance policy.  When it comes to recruitment practise, businesses can look at using inclusive recruitment initiatives and having longer shortlists for job vacancies.  Any job adverts and job descriptions should include a gender decoder.

Other practical measures can include dedicated focus to close the gender pay gap and creation of a more inclusive workplace culture, to eradicate microaggressions in the workplace.

In 2015, the United Nations launched its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), encouraging the world community ‘to mobilise efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind’.  A total of 17 SDG were developed, one of which (‘SDG # 5 ‘Gender Equality’) calls for greater gender equality. 

Staffordshire Chambers’ of Commerce is proud to be a UN SDG Ambassador and we hope that more Staffordshire businesses will join us in showing their commitment to the Global Goals and the action that they’re already taking to combat major global challenges including climate change, gender inequality and poverty.

If you would like to join our Employment, Skills and HR forum and join the debate on how to develop a more inclusive and representative workforce, please contact: declan.riddell@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

It was very deflating to read that February 2024 will go down as the world’s warmest February in modern times.

The news links with data from the EU’s climate service, confirming that each each month since June 2023 has seen new temperature highs for the time of year.

The world’s sea surface is at its warmest on record. Antarctic sea-ice has again reached extreme lows.
Temperatures are still being boosted by the Pacific’s El Niño weather event. According to Prof Celeste Saulo, Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organiz,: “Heat-trapping greenhouse gases are unequivocally the main culprit”.

Any action to reverse the impact of climate change has to be collective and needs to start at a local level. Conference of the Parties (COP) brings parties (governments) together, to assess global efforts to advance the key Paris Agreement aim of limiting global warming to as close as possible to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. COP26 took place in Glasgow at the end of 2021.

At a local level, I’m really looking forward to attending the inaugural Staffordshire and Stoke 2024 Conference of the Parties (COP) or Celebration of the Possible, on Friday 15th March.

Staffordshire and Stoke COP is being co-ordinated by Kate Copeland-Rhodes of The Globe Group CIC, with the aim of creating an accountable and transparent process of a shared 10-Year Vision for Staffordshire & Stoke-on-trent, charting a sustainable and equitable future for all to live, work & thrive.

I recently joined Kate and a number of other stakeholders to carry out a Deep Dive with a ‘first look’ at the output gathered through a number of consultation sessions, to explore some of the solutions for the priority themes. The workshop was guided by Cara Santos of Keele University, discussing Doughnut Economics, which proposes a change of economic model as a response to humanity’s major challenge of eradicating global poverty within the means of the planet’s limited natural resources.

Through the use of Doughnut Economics, a shared roadmap will be developed, to improve the future for people, place & planet. Our discussions have looked at the definition of sustainable development being “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

The Staffordshire & Stoke 2024 COP is more than just an event. It is seen as a chance to be part of something bigger and a catalyst for change. Places at the Staffordshire & Stoke 2024 COP have now sold out but you can get yourself added to a waiting list which will fill any cancelled bookings. Click on the dedicated website where you will find a wealth of information about the COP and have the chance to share your ideas. Global change can start at a local level, so please get involved and make sure you and your Staffordshire business plays its part.

‘Dear Chancellor…..’ – our wish list for the March Budget

We have written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, who will deliver his Spring Budget on Wednesday (6^th).  With a General Election due to take place in the next ten months, the eyes of the business community will be trained on Mr Hunt when he makes his Budget announcements on Wednesday afternoon.

We have listened to the voices of our Chamber policy forums and listed below are some of the key issues on which we would like the government to act:

Business rates

In its current form, the business rates system is a burden on businesses regardless of ability to pay and it does not make allowances for the major changes that have taken place in the UK economy over the last decade.  Many commercial premises in towns and cities lie empty and serve as a reminder of a struggle to compete with online shopping. Indeed, all of our local centres bear witness to this with some faring particularly badly, deterring not only visitors, but also potential investors. 

Planning capacity at Local Planning Authorities (LPA)
Local authority planning teams are struggling under the strain of a heavy caseload, new legislation such as Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and challenges with recruitment and retention of planners. This is causing lengthy delays in getting planning application decisions turned around and also in local plans being developed.  Faced with continued delays, businesses may choose to pause their growth and expansion plans, keeping the brakes on local economic development. Reform of a creaking planning system is long overdue.

Our British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) colleagues have announced a new partnership with Aviva, which will establish a five-year industry-led programme to increase skills and capacity in Local Planning Authorities (LPA). The programme aims to deliver at least 100 undergraduate and masters’ level qualifications for people entering the planning industry, and for people already working in LPA who need to develop skills for more senior planning roles.  In return, at the end of their course of study, the learner must commit to work in a council planning role for at least two years.  The BCC is asking businesses from all sectors to contribute to the programme’s fund with the aim of raising at least £3 million. We would like to see the Government commit to matching the £3 million contribution to ensure that LPA can employ newly qualified graduates for at least two years .

Grid capacity.

If we are to create dedicated vehicle charging infrastructure sites across the country, we need to see Government action to commit to ambitious plans for upgrades to the national electricity generation capacity and the distribution grid.  This will require swift implementation, to make grid connectivity easier for infrastructure.  Upgrades to the grid will also encourage those businesses who have capability of generating their own energy (such as through PV cells), to offload any surplus energy back into the grid. Across Staffordshire, we know of several businesses who are unable to do this, due to current grid limitations.

Transport
Last week saw the Government announcement of plans to deliver around £4.7 billion of funding to local authorities across the Midlands and the north of England, to deliver transport improvement programmes. Here in Staffordshire, we are keen to see progress in improving connectivity on some of our major transport routes. A50/A500 is a key east-west artery, connecting M6 and M1 and a vital transport route for some world recognised brands.  A50/A500 is regarded as ‘North Midlands Manufacturing Corridor’ but suffers from congestion at key pinch points, notably Uttoxeter (B5030), Blythe Bridge (A521) and through much of the urban area of North Staffordshire. The A500 connects with the M6 at junction 15 but the layout of this key junction is no longer fit for purpose and in need of significant overhaul. Other transport schemes in the pipeline, include a re-opening of the railway between Leek and Stoke-on-Trent and opening of a new station in Meir. We would welcome greater clarity and financial agreement to progress these transport improvement schemes and a clear commitment to press ahead and improve local transport infrastructure.

VAT registration
We are calling for the VAT registration review to be restarted, with a view to removing the existing cliff edge.  Further research conducted by our BCC colleagues found that 43% of respondent businesses with a turnover of less than £85,000, are concerned about growing revenue beyond this, specifically because of the requirement to pay VAT.

Skills and training
Staffordshire Chambers’ of Commerce has been appointed as the designated employer lead for the Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP).  Through our work in delivering the LSIP for Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire, we recognise that more needs to be done in developing a skilled workforce and tackling skills shortages. This is why we are calling for a commitment to fund business led LSIP beyond the current 2025 cut off period, with an extension of at least a further three years to 2028. A further three years will provide much needed time to continue our work in bridging the gap between the training needs of our local businesses and the delivery of targeted training and development programmes, to upskill our local workforce.

If you would like to join any of our Chamber policy forums and help to shape and influence our lobbying work, please contact me: declan.riddell@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

It’s been another busy week at Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce. On Wednesday we had the chance to say “Willkommen in Stoke-on-Trent!” to a delegation of German visitors from Stoke-on-Trent’s twin city, Erlangen.

A twinning partnership was established in 1989, with the aim of enhancing technical exchanges at various levels, including university contacts, youth exchanges and joint cultural programmes.

We invited a group of member businesses to join us in a roundtable discussion with Erlangen’s Oberbürgermeister, Florian Janik and two of his colleagues, when we discussed the opportunities for Staffordshire businesses in Erlangen and the wider metropolitan region of Nuremberg.

Erlangen is a Middle Franconian city in Bavaria, Germany, approximately 100 miles to the north of Munich. Some world-recognised brands have made their home in the wider metropolitan area, including Adidas and Siemens.

During a whistle-stop tour of The Potteries, our German guests also visited KMF Group, joined a skills roundtable with key delegates from local universities, colleges and schools, and dropped in at Port Vale FC.

Earlier this month, Tom Nadin, Head of Projects and Business Services here at Staffordshire Chambers, travelled to Erlangen with a group of business leaders, so it was great to welcome our German friends to the UK. A couple of interesting facts from Tom’s visit to Erlangen:

1. In Germany, all registered companies in industry, commerce or service are required by law to be a member of a Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
2. There is a street in Erlangen called ‘Stoke-on-Trent Street’ or ‘Stoke-on-Trent-Straße’

Here at Staffordshire Chambers, we’re determined to reignite this partnership and have started to work on a series of activities to help bring the cities closer together. Our discussions also focused on the need for further development of trade links and the important role that developing skills and language could play for both cities.

On the theme of developing trade links, we’re hosting an Exporting Networking event on Tuesday 9th April, with the chance for both novice and experienced exporters ro come together. You can share your experiences and ideas so we can together learn from each other and build stronger businesses. Watch this space for further details!

Our International Trade forum will look to raise issues impacting barriers to export with relevant strands of local and national government to ensure we give our businesses and organisations in our region every chance to succeed and prosper. If you would like to get involved, please contact:
declan.riddell@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

…and don’t forget that Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce offers a customs declarations, export documentation and translation service. Allison Tomlinson and her team are one of the top-performing teams in the country, despite Staffordshire’s lack of a port and airport! For further details, please contact:
Exportmailbox@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

Well, it’s official! Last week saw the announcement that the UK economy slipped into recession at the end of 2023.  The release of economic results confirmed that the UK economy shrank by 0.3% in the final quarter of 2023, after a contraction of 0.1% in Q3 of 2023. 

By very definition, a recession is classed as ‘a period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally identified by a fall in GDP in two successive quarters.

Our latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) for Q1, 2024 was launched last week and although we won’t get the results until into March, this QES could provide a useful barometer of the economic outlook from a Staffordshire business perspective.  

QES results during 2023 confirmed that many of our hard-pressed hospitality businesses have been locked into a recession for almost four years, when the pandemic unleashed such a devastating impact on the global economy.

The announcement sparked discussion during our Money Matters forum last week. Money Matters forum is tasked with exchanging information on taxation, corporate law and governance, finance, insurance and professional services sector issues.  During the meeting, we watched an update from RSM’s Economist Tom Pugh, who suggested that key investment decisions for business relate to labour-enhancing investments and productivity-enhancing investments, with businesses seeking ways to be more productive but without having to hire extra staff.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Jeremy Hunt, MP), will announce the Spring Budget on Wednesday 6^th March.

We know that a General Election has to take place in the next year and all eyes will be fixed on Mr Hunt, to see if there are any eye-catching announcements to entice voters when the country goes to the polls. 

That got us talking about a letter we well be sending to Mr Hunt, with some key ‘asks’ for the business community.  Once again, we’ll be calling for a reform of the business rates system.  We’re also asking for the VAT registration review to be re-started, with a view to removing the existing ‘cliff-edge. 

Chamber research shows that many SME businesses are struggling because of business rates and are limiting their expansion plans because of the VAT threshold.  The Chancellor should use his statement next month to announce plans to make business rates fairer and restart the VAT registration review.

Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce has been appointed as the designated employer representative body for the Stoke-on-Trent & Staffordshire Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP).  We would like to see the Government commit to the funding of business-led Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIP) beyond the current 2025 cut off point, to at least 2028.  

Linked to the topic of skills, we will also ask for the Government to show greater flexibility around the use of the Apprenticeship Levy, to allow for expanded training and upskilling of workers.

What else should we be calling for in our letter to Mr Hunt?  I would be interested to get your thoughts on the most pressing issues for our business community.   Feel free to get in touch:

declan.riddell@staffordshirechambers.co.uk

I’ve already mentioned the importance of our latest Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) and once again, your views count.  QES is the country’s longest-running independent business survey and is recognised by the Bank of England as being of real value in measuring economic performance and business outlook.  It takes just 60 seconds to complete a QES, so we would be really grateful if you could click here to complete: https://forms.office.com/e/YyPzHWjeRG